There are thousands of ebooks available online on all kinds of topics, but not all of them are worth your time. In fact, many are poorly written and contain information that might be outdated or incorrect by the time you read them. But every now and then you can find one that’s useful, interesting, and up-to-date—and the following five ebooks make this list because they’re some of the best on the subject of software engineering.
1) 12 Rules for Life by Jordan Peterson
12 Rules for Life is a good introduction to Peterson’s ideas about how people should act. Some of it will resonate, some of it won’t. What makes it such a good read, though, is that much of his advice is presented in simple, digestible chunks and distilled into simple rules.
Peter Thiel, cofounder of PayPal and one of Silicon Valley’s most prominent venture capitalists, shares some entrepreneurial insights in his latest book. He talks about how companies can create greater value than mere extrapolations from established technologies and business models.
3) Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
Written roughly 2,000 years ago, Meditations is perhaps one of history’s greatest examples of reflections and self-improvement. Although it’s written in a different language, there’s a timeless wisdom to Aurelius’ words that transcends cultural barriers and offers valuable insights into how to live your life.
4) How To Win Friends And Influence People by Dale Carnegie
This was first published in 1936, but Carnegie’s tips for networking and making personal connections are still as useful today as they were back then. If you work with people (or want to work with people), it’s a must-read.
Lean In was published in 2013 and focuses on helping women succeed in business by encouraging them to be assertive and lean into situations rather than away from them. One of Sandberg’s most important lessons is that, no matter what a woman’s position at a company is, she must take control of her career path. She illustrates how women can grow and develop as leaders by speaking up more confidently and consistently when they have an idea.
